Stop Puppy Biting!...... and get that biting puppy under control today.Is your puppy biting on you all the time? Does he nip and 'mouth' your hands, arms, legs, clothes, shoes and so on? Need to stop that biting right now?
If you're wondering if your cute puppy is part Piranha fish or should have had a bit part in the classic movie 'Jaws' you're definitely not alone! Puppy biting is another one of those common puppy behaviors that can become a problem if you don't deal with it early on. So, let's see why he does this and how puppy training for biting can help you put an end to this annoying (and often painful) problem. In other words..... 'Let's nip this in the bud'! A biting puppy? You're not alone!Puppy biting is rooted in basic canine behavior. Puppies establish their place in their doggy family's 'pecking order' through play-biting and nipping (among other things).Although this may seem a fairly harmless, if irritating, behavior when little Fido is a 12lb puppy, it's definitely a habit you want to discourage right away. Your tiny puppy will be an adolescent and then an adult in the blink of an eye, and then this behavior will be a lot more than irritating. Puppy biting is often an attempt at domination (remember the doggy family pecking order?) and if Fido is allowed to think he's 'in charge' at this point, he won't be willing to renegotiate his position later on. Puppy training for biting behavior is something that you need to start early, and be consistent with, during those first few months (especially during the teething phase). Rest assured that this is NORMAL puppy behavior and with a bit of effort on your part, a biting puppy can be controlled, and the behavior eventually eliminated all together.
An ounce of preventionEven though the puppy biting desire is strong it can be magnified by certain situations or behaviors.Just like little children, puppies get excited when there's a lot of noise or boisterous behavior around them. They express this pent-up excitement by chasing, nipping or barking. Also, many dog breeds have highly developed herding instincts or prey drive. This means that they have an in-built need to chase fast moving objects. This is hard-wired into their brains and is an automatic, unconscious and reflexive behavior. It doesn't matter if it's a cat, an unsuspecting cyclist or your squealing 5 year old, anything that moves fast (even better if it's making a high-pitched noise too) is a target. This canine instinct is one of the factors involved in many dog bites and and attacks on young children. It's important to bear this in mind and always supervise your puppy and children when they're playing together. You can help reduce the excitement-induced puppy biting by keeping your household as calm as possible -
Correction & Re-directionAlthough following the previous 'puppy training for biting' measures will reduce the amount of biting and nipping, it often won't stop it completely."So what do I do?' I hear you ask. Well, there are several alternative ways of breaking a puppy of biting, depending on your puppy's temperament and how persistent or severe the problem is. It's best to try to stop puppy biting with the easiest and least confrontational method first, and to be consistent with it for at least 2 weeks before deciding whether or not you need to try a less subtle approach on your biting puppy.
If you're still having problems after all the above go out and buy a small, plastic spray bottle (you can get them at Walmart or any Dollar store for less than $1). Fill it with water and set it to 'stream' (not the fine mist spray). The next time Fido decides to sink his teeth into you, shout "OUCH, NO!" loudly and shoot a quick jet of water right on his nose. The surprise should stop your little Piranha is his tracks. It's a good idea to have 2 or 3 of these spray bottles around the house so there's always one handy when Fido is struck by the puppy biting bug. Occasionally you'll get a puppy who actually doesn't mind being squirted with water, which makes the above tactic seem more like a game to him. In that case, stop puppy biting by replacing the water with a 1:10 solution of vinegar:water instead. Or you can buy a couple of those tiny breath-mint sprays and give him a shot of the breath spray directly on his tongue whenever that biting puppy strikes. Be very careful with these sprays though, you don't want to spray his eyes or nose
Repetition is the key!Breaking a puppy of biting takes patience and you'll need to repeat the same cause-and-effect sequence over and over again.Puppies learn through repetition and their attention span is short, so it's very important to be both patient and consistent. This applies equally to every, single aspect of puppy training. Loving, firm and consistent correction and training will win the day.
Don't miss out on this valuable FREE resource. Sign up today. Puppy Behavior
|
In any normal household (well, with 6 children and a menagerie of pets I'm not sure I live in a normal household!), the dinner time hour can be a bit crazy. It may help to put little Fido in his crate or playpen at this time to help keep him out of the mix.
